Also, forgot to add: list the dataset and note the management class (MGMTCLAS). This will tell you how DFSMShsm is managing the dataset and whether space is routinely being released.
-----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Michael Watkins Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 4:07 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: Something keeps releasing space on a large (annual) DS CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Texas Comptroller's email system. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you expect them from the sender and know the content is safe. "ALLOC DDN(CHG$$OT) DSN('<dsn>') MOD CATALOG REUSE", "SPACE(300,30) CYLINDERS RECFM(V,B) LRECL(304) BLKSIZE(27998)" Yes, always allocate anything other than a very small dataset in cylinders. Also, keep in mind that an extended PS appends a 32-byte suffix onto every block of data (an 8-byte prefix onto blocks of datasets allocated as DSNTYPE=LARGE). Specifying BLKSIZE=27998 may mean that you only have 1 block on each virtual 3390 track on your RAID storage frame. Perhaps code BLKSIZE=0 and let the system determine the BLKSIZE. One advantage extended format datasets enjoy is that up to 123 extents can be allocated on each volume, although the 65,535 tracks (4,369 CYLs) per volume z/OS limit is still adhered to. Unless there are limits imposed by your application, do not hesitate to span up to the z/OS limit of 59 volumes or take advantage of zEDC compression. Also: Not all applications, particularly those that have a special internal format (like SAS) or that write their own I/O (like Adabase) can use extended format datasets. Inquire with your storage manager whether there is an existing DATACLAS that meets your needs. Or explain your issues and perhaps the storage manager will design a DATACLAS for you. Good luck! -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List <IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU> On Behalf Of Mike Schwab Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2024 2:58 PM To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU Subject: Re: Something keeps releasing space on a large (annual) DS CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Texas Comptroller's email system. DO NOT click links or open attachments unless you expect them from the sender and know the content is safe. Its probably doing a release. Do a cylinder allocation to at average 7 tracks after release. Defragment to consolidate extents weekly / twice a week / MWF / daily. On Wed, Feb 21, 2024 at 11:45 AM Bob Bridges <00000587168ababf-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> wrote: I'm not a sysprog (just a security geek), but I can at least allocate datasets, and at the start of this year it fell to me to allocate a new dataset in which are logged all changes made in the security system. Past year's log are in the 12000-track range, so I started with a smaller allocation while I took the time to talk to our sysprog about space requirements. It's populated from a daily production job, by the way. When I re-allocated it, on his advice I tried a multi-volume and extended allocation (PS-E). Almost immediately the job started bombing, claiming that the first four volumes it tried didn't have the necessary space to add an extension. The sysprog is puzzled - says it should have looked in volumes that DO have the space, not the ones that don't. Second attempt (I don't count the temporary smaller allocation) I kept PS-E but dropped the multi-volume requirement. I've never done one of those anyway, and don't trust 'em. The system promptly dropped the extra tracks I allocated, and a day or two later the job started bombing with a B37-04. Third attempt: Forget PS-E (I'm unfamiliar with that too) and just used SPACE=(TRK,(9000,1000)). That seemed to work for a whole week, but I just noticed that something, somewhere, has released extra space AGAIN; 3.4 tells me it's now 1960 tracks and 83%. The job isn’t bombing yet; some time later in the year I'm guessing it's going to. Pardon my frustration: WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? Why does it keep releasing space although I never specified RLSE? The sysprog doesn't know either - but he's an external contractor who just took over the system a few months ago and if it's something simple he may not be aware yet of ... I dunno, something in SMS maybe? Some wrinkles that may or may not be relevant: 1) The dataset is written using a REXX exec that calculates the DSN by reference to the current year. This relieves folks from having to update the JCL every year, but maybe something about the way the exec does the allocate is causing the problem? I'm guessing not, because as far as I now this job has run correctly for years. But just in case: "ALLOC DDN(CHG$$OT) DSN('<dsn>') MOD CATALOG REUSE", "SPACE(300,30) CYLINDERS RECFM(V,B) LRECL(304) BLKSIZE(27998)" 2) I don't know anything about SMS, but could something there be releasing space? 3) What IS extended PS, anyway? I'm told it allows more than 16 extents, but a) how many more? And b) how else is it different? 4) I allocated the dataset each time using not batch JCL but 3.2 ... expecting there's no difference. --- > Bob Bridges, robhbrid...@gmail.com, cell 336 382-7313 > /* Law #6 of combat operations: If it's stupid but it works, it isn't stupid. */ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send > email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN -- Mike A Schwab, Springfield IL USA Where do Forest Rangers go to get away from it all? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@listserv.ua.edu with the message: INFO IBM-MAIN